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Archive · March 1, 2026

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Story 01

Tether Blocks $3.5 Billion in Crime-Linked Stablecoins

Tether has frozen $3.5 billion of its stablecoins linked to illicit activities since 2023, with a total of $4.2 billion blocked since its inception. This proactive measure affects Tether, illicit actors, and the broader stablecoin market, leading to increased regulatory scrutiny. This means that companies operating in the stablecoin space must enhance their compliance frameworks to avoid similar scrutiny. Increased regulatory scrutiny on stablecoins could lead to stricter compliance requirements, affecting market dynamics and innovation.

Source: PYMNTS
Also Worth Knowing
№02

Jack Dorsey's Block to Lay Off 4,000 Employees

Block, led by Jack Dorsey, plans to lay off 40% of its workforce, equivalent to 4,000 employees, as it pivots towards AI-driven operations. This decision affects Block employees and the fintech industry, potentially influencing other companies to adopt AI for efficiency. This shift underscores the urgency for fintechs to integrate AI into their operations to remain competitive. Expect increased investment in AI technologies across the fintech sector, with potential for new AI-driven products and services.

Source: Finextra
№03

MoonPay Launches PYUSDx for Stablecoins

MoonPay introduced PYUSDx, a framework for creating application-specific stablecoins backed by PayPal USD (PYUSD), aimed at reducing technical and operational overhead. This initiative affects MoonPay, PayPal, fintech developers, and the stablecoin market, encouraging more developers to explore stablecoin applications. This move supports the trend of stablecoins and tokenization, facilitating broader adoption and integration into financial systems. Expect increased innovation in stablecoin applications, potentially leading to new use cases and market growth.

Source: The Block
№04

Meta Explores Stablecoin Payments in App Ecosystem

Meta is exploring stablecoin payments within its app ecosystem, revisiting digital currency initiatives after the Diem project's failure. This exploration affects Meta, stablecoin issuers, and social media users, positioning Meta as a potential leader in digital currency integration. This development aligns with the trend of stablecoins going mainstream, integrating digital currencies into everyday applications. Successful implementation could lead to broader adoption of stablecoins in social media, influencing user engagement and monetization strategies.

Source: Banking Dive
№05

Barclays Explores Blockchain for Payments

Barclays is in discussions with vendors to develop a blockchain platform for payments and deposits, signaling a potential shift towards blockchain-based financial services. This move affects Barclays, technology vendors, and the banking industry, prompting competitors to accelerate their blockchain initiatives. This development aligns with the trend of open banking and finance expansion, leveraging blockchain for enhanced financial services. Successful implementation could lead to broader blockchain adoption in banking, influencing regulatory frameworks and industry standards.

Source: Finextra
The Long Memory
“Did you know ACH began as a way to replace paper checks in the 1970s, and now it moves trillions electronically each year?

Filed under: Payments History · The Long Memory

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